Andrea Leadsom’s high-octane feud with John Bercow started much earlier than most realised. As a relatively new MP, Andrea visited Silverstone Circuit, which is situated in the south of her constituency. Unfortunately for her, half of the circuit is also in a patch of Buckinghamshire then represented by John Bercow. Readers may be able to see where this is going…

Guido understands that Bercow was accustomed to snatching up complimentary tickets to races. When Leadsom visited and was offered a ride around the track, she was thrilled to have finally been able to go. Bercow, on the other hand, was less pleased with losing pole position as the MP for F1. Bercow raced off a snooty letter to the new MP complaining that she had been in his constituency without letting him know. Despite only having driven quickly through the half of the track in his constituency…

This abrasive incident happened in the first couple of years of the 2010 parliament, and ever since the neighbouring MPs had less than cordial relations. For years the private feud grew like James Hunt jostling Niki Lauda, finally exploding into public view when she became Leader of the House in 2017. It persists to this day: